Batch rendering from network
 

Hi

I have Maya 5.01 unlimited, and permission to render from up to 500 machines a a time.

HOWEVER - i have spend several days figuring out how that is done.......

I have tried downloading network-rendering-programs, and several of the programs does not work, and some have a very confusing "help."

It is not clear in any way, if i should install Maya on every network-renderer-computer, or i just can connect to it and then use it's processors.
(It would off course be the most logical thing just to use the processors from other computers, because my license is a "node- locked license.")

Can anyone - just anyone, give me a crystal clear answer to how i get my network-rendering to function?

Thanx :-)

Broter Brokop

ps. I want the processors to work together. I do not want one machine to work on frame 0 - 100, another machine 101 - 200, another machine 201 - 300 etc. etc.

thats a lot of power there... 500, must be some university ?? or work ?

one point about it though.. what is the ram on thoughs 500, if they all have like 128mb it might not work very good. Each CPU needs the sean and render app. stored in its ram if I'm not mistaken. most seans will not fit in 128 along with the render app. and render data.

You would need the rendering executables and everything needed to run it on each node. You will never get a 500 PC network to operate like one computer, so your post about not wanting them to do whole frames each would require the rendering distribution program to cut them up in pieces (which several of them can do, but less effective than doing whole frames). As for actually logistically installing Maya on 500 computers together with the client for whatever netrender app you choose is something I'd not want to do without getting paid. And if I remember correctly Maya is shipping with unlimited render licenses for its software renderer, however only one MentalRay render license per copy. Good luck.